Hulu has always done well at luring advertisers, and its new makeover may help bring in more money. The online video content site introduced a new look this week that features larger graphics, better
visuals, easier browsing capabilities, more intuitive show pages and more personalized discovery tools. The site intends to surface more "hidden gems," it says, as well as deliver what each viewer
wants -- like Amazon does with its personalized recommendation. ...Read the whole story

The TrueView in-stream video ad format does not require advertisers to pay for the impression if the viewer skips the ad on mobile devices within the first five seconds. YouTube just began testing TrueView on mobile, but early indications suggest people engage with these ads in the same way they do on the desktop. ...Read the whole story

Some 18 percent of consumers worldwide are accessing online video through their TV sets on a daily basis, while 25 percent access online video content several times a week, according to a new study from NPD Group. ...Read the whole story

The first tongue-in-cheek ad ("Airport," from 2010) conveyed the irresistibility of Lindor truffles (and Roger Federer) by showing female airport security guards confiscating his bag filled with the chocolates and threatening to strip-search the tennis star just for the fun of it. ...Read the whole story

Aegis Group reported first-half revenue of $947 million, up 15% with a 10% profit gain close to $46 million. Aegis' first-half organic revenue growth -- a key performance metric that excludes the impact of sales, acquisitions and currency fluctuations -- was 8.6%. That's on the high side, compared to a number of holding company rivals. ...Read the whole story

Around The Net

There are many ways to video conference in several people, but Zoom Video Communications launched an offering that gives consumers free, high-def group video calls from any device. It works over cellular service, wired and Wi-Fi Internet connections. It also lets participants share content on their computer screen with the group and text chat. The service requires users to download an app. Walt Mossberg compares the platform to Google+. ...Read the whole story

NBC News is the latest content partner added to Microsoft's XBox Live, in an app that will "include breaking news clips, as well as features and commentary from various NBC News shows" such as "The Rachel Maddow Show" and "Morning Joe," writes Ryan Lawler. This move is part of Microsft's strategy of "pushing the game console into the center of the living room as more of a digital entertainment hub," according to Lawler. ...Read the whole story

Product managers, listen up: It's time to start worrying less about having conversations with your customers. There. I said it. Putting your efforts into creating a larger volume of quality content that stands the test of ...More

You'd better get ready: TV media-buying processes, protocols and parameters are coming to the Web. Lately, the trades have been full of stories about the long-awaited convergence between ads on the Web and ads on television. ...More

There are legends and there are heroes, and then there are people who have picked up the phone when destiny called, listened intently, and replied with a steely, "Yes, I am the champion of virtue that ...More